Frame and panel interface systems are commonly used to construct displays in homes, museums, retail stores, airport terminals, trade show exhibits and the like. Some of these systems are made up of standard-sized frame units configured to releasably support a flexible display substrate in tension by way of engagement between a continuous closed-loop groove running along the periphery of the frame unit, and gaskets disposed along the periphery of the display substrate. These wall systems may be referred to as “groove-mount” wall systems, and are frequently used in the trade show and retail environment due to their relative light weight, low cost and portability.
An advantage of producing wall frame units in standard sizes is that they can be manufactured in volume, resulting in economies of scale which benefit the manufacturer and purchaser alike. It is frequently desirable to create larger displays by joining multiple standard-sized wall systems together. It is important in the art that, regardless of the nature and organization of its supporting framework, the entire display wall remains visually appealing and not present features which might distract the attention of prospective customers away from the information and designs being displayed. Exposed framework and discontinuities within the wall surface or graphic design are examples of such potentially distracting features.
In a typical groove-mount frame unit, the linear segments of the continuous closed-loop groove effectively terminate within the periphery of the frame unit. Consequently, in conventional groove-mount style wall systems, the size and shape of the flexible display substrate has historically been closely matched to the outer dimensions of an individual frame unit to which it is designed to be attached. Joining such frame units together therefore commonly results in a larger wall system which presents the appearance multiple substrates arranged in series, with portions of the frame structure being visibly exposed therebetween. The resulting segmented appearance of the wall surface and any graphic design printed thereon are examples of the kind of distracting features which are known to be undesirable in the art.
Those in the art have long recognized the need for an improved, low-cost, portable display wall system which leverages the use of multiple standard-sized frame units designed to support flexible display substrates, while presenting the appearance of a larger, custom, smooth and continuous display wall surface.